


To Boldly Go or No?

by MadamAirlock



Category: Star Trek: The Next Generation
Genre: F/M, Fluff with like half a second of angst, Post-TNG
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-28
Updated: 2019-12-28
Packaged: 2021-02-26 02:33:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 788
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21996073
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MadamAirlock/pseuds/MadamAirlock
Summary: A retired Jean-Luc Picard and Beverly Crusher contemplate if retirement is really for them
Relationships: Beverly Crusher/Jean-Luc Picard
Comments: 3
Kudos: 23
Collections: Star Trek Secret Santa 2019





	To Boldly Go or No?

**Author's Note:**

> Star Trek Secret Santa 2019 for doctorbeverlycrusher.

Beverly was curled up in the windowed corner, her legs stretched out to the ottoman with a thick red blanket covering her lap. A crackling fire was the only sound in the room aside from the occasional sound of a page turning in her book or her soft reactions to the story. Her attention was pulled to the large windows, distracted by the snow steadily falling outside. She hummed in contentment, her eyes sliding closed. She contemplated a nap, but the sound of the door opening changed her mind. 

She slid her bookmark into the book and set it aside with her blanket, barely managing to rise to her feet before Jean-Luc walked into the room. He dusted snow off his shoulders and she withheld her irritation that he didn’t clean his boots at the door. 

“Well?” she prompted, an eyebrow briefly arching up. He had rushed out of bed and out of the house so early that morning with barely a comment and she wasn’t going to wait any longer to find out what the emergency was. He sighed and avoided her pointed gaze as he perched on the edge of the sofa. Her eyes followed him, noting the deepened lines in his forehead and around his frown. “Jean-Luc.”

“I’m going back,” he finally said. 

The words didn’t process in her head. She felt like they hit a wall and bounced back to him, leaving only confusion and a sense of dread in her stomach. “You’re what?”

“Starfleet...” he stopped and sighed again, his hand rubbing over his head. “Starfleet needs someone to briefly command a mission to the outer reaches of the Federation. Six months at the longest.”

She frowned as she watched him, knowing him and knowing his body language too well to believe he would turn down the mission. “We’re retired.” She knew it was pointless, but she couldn’t help but remind him anyway. “We’ve been retired. You wanted more time with Rene and then the grandchildren.”

“I know, Beverly, I know. But this mission... It’s crucial and it’s sensitive.” 

“Starfleet has half a dozen captains and admirals that can handle a crucial, sensitive mission. Why you?” She bit her tongue to avoid asking why he would agree to go. 

“It needs to be done.” He slowly raised his head to look at her and she saw the struggle in his eyes. 

“And you’ve already agreed.” He gave a slight nod before he stood up and took her hands, gently pulling her closer. “We’re too old for this.”

He laughed softly and kissed the corner of her mouth. “I’m too old for this. You could go right back to Starfleet Medical and take over in a moment.” She allowed a small smile to form. “It’s not a hands on mission. I’m there for diplomacy, not for a fight.”

She pulled one hand away from his and reached up to gently caress his cheek, feeling the light stubble. “You’ll have to shave.”

He was silent, his eyes searching her face for what felt like several minutes. “Come with me.”

“What?”

“It’s a diplomatic mission, not a war. Come with me and we won’t be apart.”

“I...”

“Wesley and Rene are on their own now and we’ll be in contact with everyone the entire time we’re gone.” He stopped for a moment, leaning into her touch. “Don’t you miss it?”

She allowed herself to consider it, to remember the experiences they had out there. But her thoughts were countered by the quiet retirement they had on Earth, happily settled in Jean-Luc’s homestead with the occasional vacation around the Federation to visit friends and family. 

“I do,” she admitted. 

“Then what’s stopping you?” 

She smiled and leaned up to kiss him softly. “Just one thing,” she murmured against his lips. He hummed softly in response. “Promise me we’ll come back.”

He pulled back just enough to look at her, but slid one arm around her waist to keep her close. “You know I can’t promise that. I won’t promise that.”

She took a deep breath and nodded. “I know. But you also can’t promise me that we’ll be okay going to Risa or Betazed. Might as well have one last great adventure.” 

He smiled. “There’s the Starfleet Commander I knew.”

She gently smacked his arm, but couldn’t help but smile herself. “I love you.”

“I love you too, Beverly. We leave in the morning.”

She pulled back to glare at him for withholding that important piece of information, but the building excitement in her quickly overruled any irritation. “I better talk to the kids.” She kissed his cheek and hurried off, her book and earlier peace quickly forgotten by the excitement of a mission in space again.

**Author's Note:**

> This is somewhat inspired by the new Picard series, but is definitely in now way compliant with anything we know about it. It also includes some references to TNG books and stuff, like their daughter Rene. Listen, it’s non-canon fluff. Just enjoy it.


End file.
